Halle Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder conductor. Huw Watkins, Concerto for Orchestra (world premiere); R. Strauss An Alpine Symphony This was Mark Elder’s one concert with the Halle in this, the first year after he retired from being music director. It was billed as a big deal on Halle’s Facebook page – it also had aContinue reading “R. Strauss, An Alpine Symphony. Halle / Elder – Bridgewater Hall, 10/5/25”
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Wagner, Die Walkure. ROHCG 7/5/25,
Antonio Pappano, conductor; Wotan, Christopher Maltman; Brünnhilde, Elisabet Strid; Sieglinde, Natalya Romaniw; Siegmund, Stanislas de Barbeyrac; Hunding, Soloman Howard; Fricka, Marina Prudenskaya; Helmwige, Maida Hundeling; Ortlinde, Katie Lowe; Gerhilde, Lee Bisset; Waltraute, Claire Barnett-Jones; Siegrune, Catherine Carby; Rossweisse, Alison Kettlewell; Grimgerde, Monika-Evelin Liiv; Schwertleite, Rhonda Browne. Director, Barrie Kosky; set designer, Rufus Didwiszus; costume designer,Continue reading “Wagner, Die Walkure. ROHCG 7/5/25,”
Irena Radić, piano – St James Piccadilly lunchtime recital 7/5/25
Madeleine Dring: Prelude; Kenneth V Jones: Piano Sonata; Chopin: Piano Sonata no.3 in B minor Madeleine Dring and Kenneth V Jones were both mid 20th century figures, the latter a film composer, a professor of composition at the RCM and, as it happens the pianist’s (herself a student at the RCM) great uncle. I likedContinue reading ” Irena Radić, piano – St James Piccadilly lunchtime recital 7/5/25″
Janáček The Excursions of Mr Brouček. LSO, Rattle. Barbican, 6/5/25
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle conductor. Peter Hoare, Brouček; Aleš Briscein Mazal/Blankytný/Petřík; Lucy Crowe, Málinka/Etherea/Kunka; Gyula Orendt , akristán/Lunobor/Domšík; Lukáš Zeman, Svatopluk/Würfl/Čaroskvoucí/Ratsherr Doubravka Novotná, Číšníček/Wunderkind/Student; Arttu Kataja, Artist/Dohuslav/Vojta; Linard Vrielink, Skladatel/Harfoboj/Miroslav; Hanna Hipp, Kedruta. Tenebrae This is a work I have never seen live before and I’ve never indeed had a recording of/ heardContinue reading “Janáček The Excursions of Mr Brouček. LSO, Rattle. Barbican, 6/5/25”
Shostakovich: Symphony no 7 “Leningrad”: RPO, Petrenko. RFH 27/4/25
Sibelius Finlandia; Weill Four Walt Whitman Songs; Shostakovich Symphony No.7, ‘Leningrad’ (with film). Vasily Petrenko Conductor. Roderick Williams Baritone; Kirill Serebrennikov Art Director; Ilya Shaglov Video Artist. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra I didn’t spot this concert as an upcoming event until a week before it happened. Vasily Petrenko is a conductor I always enjoy hearing but, somehow, I don’t always get newsContinue reading “Shostakovich: Symphony no 7 “Leningrad”: RPO, Petrenko. RFH 27/4/25”
Mahler: Symphony No 8: LPO, Gardner. RFH, 26/4/25
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner conductor. Sarah Wegener soprano, Magna Peccatrix; Emma Bell soprano, Una Poenitentium, Gretchen; Jennifer France soprano, Mater Gloriosa; Christine Rice mezzo-soprano, Mulier Samaritana; Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano, Maria Aegyptiaca; Andrew Staples tenor, Doctor Marianus, Tomasz Konieczny bass-baritone, Pater Ecstaticus; Derek Welton bass-baritone, Pater Profundus; London Philharmonic Choir; London Symphony Chorus; Tiffin Boys’ Choir.Continue reading “Mahler: Symphony No 8: LPO, Gardner. RFH, 26/4/25”
Bellini, The Capulets and the Montagues: English Touring Opera. Sheffield Lyceum, 4/4/25
Jessica Cale, Giulietta; Samantha Price, Romeo; Brenton Spiteri, Tebaldo; Timothy Nelson Capellio; Eloise Lally, director; Peeter Harrison, lighting designer; Alphonse Cemin, conductor My experience and knowledge of bel canto operas is slight – as I am sure I have said elsewhere in this blog the only Donizetti/Bellini opera I’ve heard is the former’s Maria Stuarda,Continue reading “Bellini, The Capulets and the Montagues: English Touring Opera. Sheffield Lyceum, 4/4/25”
Britten, Owen Wingrave. RNCM, Manchester 1/4/25
Rory Macdonald, conductor; Orpha Phelan director I am going to two operas I’ve never seen live before this week- indeed I’ve heard none of their music before, either… Owen Wingrave of course was conceived as a TV opera, broadcast in 1971, Indifferently received and not very much staged since the 70s, though there have beenContinue reading “Britten, Owen Wingrave. RNCM, Manchester 1/4/25”
Ades/Stravinsky, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 27/3/25
Thomas Adès conductor, Ann Dennis mezzo-soprano, Hallé Choir: Thomas Adès, Dawn: a chacony for orchestra at any distance; Thomas Adès, America: A Prophecy UK premiere; Saariaho, Oltra Mar; Stravinsky The Rite of Spring This was a fascinating concert, with a near sell-out audience, an Adès piece new to me (and indeed part of it newContinue reading “Ades/Stravinsky, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 27/3/25”
Tippett, Beethoven: Pappano, LSO. Barbican 23/3/25
Tippett A Child of Our Time; Beethoven Symphony No 9, Choral. London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Antonio Pappano conductor; Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha soprano; J’Nai Bridges mezzo-soprano; Sean Pannikar tenor, Soloman Howard, bass With the Barbican Hall completely sold out. this was an extremely generous programme, in terms of content and the demands on soloists, choir andContinue reading “Tippett, Beethoven: Pappano, LSO. Barbican 23/3/25”
John's musical journey 